"He has produced a film which should be owned by every hospital, care home and psychiatric unit in the land, and shown on a loop in the lobbies of businesses and in departure lounges instead of Sky. It might help disruptive pupils, too."

Daily Mail, Columnist Bel Mooney

Testimonials

Autism Spectrum Disorder

“I bought the DVD for my 13 yr old son who has Down's Syndrome/Autism and has a fascination with water.

The intention was to play it towards the end of the day to help him relax before bed to aid sleep. I actually played it this morning and he was really interested in it and he let me brush his hair with no problem which is usually not tolerated very well.

For me, as a parent/carer it is very soothing too unlike listening to 'In the Night garden' which is his favourite programme at the moment.

I may be back to buy a CD for the car as car journeys can be awful when he is bored and loud (no speech but lots of loud sounds which is very waring). ”

“The outside inside when you feel you can't go outside - this will be my great escape in winter and late at night when I can’t go out, but need to.”

Earlier this year I was introduced to Barry Wheelock who has for some sometime now been producing some film work which has been greatly received by many individuals on the autism spectrum. Many people I know have found these DVD's extremely useful as a calming and coping strategy, I have taken these DVD's on some of the talks that I give on autism all over the country these have been well received.

"I invited Barry to speak during my Sensory Integration Teleseminar and received a copy of the 57-minute Calmer By Nature DVD to use at home. This film is pure and stunning nature footage – there are no people, no voiceovers, and no music.

The concept was created to simply relieve stress and anxiety; however it has turned into a powerful therapy supplement for people with Autism, Sensory issues, Dementia, Alzheimers, insomnia, and more. It is reliable, predictable, and safe, which are key elements for special needs patients. It even encourages communication and creates talking points for people that have difficulties with social skills and conversation. It’s also used by some of the top Occupational Therapists to aid with cognitive and behavioral therapy.

I was hoping for mild results at bedtime with my son, who can at times be-bop around like a whirling dervish until all hours of the night despite our best rituals. If the DVD helped that issue alone, it was worth the price!

What I experienced from the product far surpassed my expectations! Yes, it works at bed time just as I had hoped. It also:

Calms him before an outing he may be feeling anxious over

Redirects him during times of high stimulation

Provides him with short, 10-minute “cool down” times when he needs a sensory break

Gives him ideas for drawing and video creation projects

Starts conversations about the wildlife we see on the film

Surprisingly, my daughter also became an instant fan. She told me that it enhanced her creativity when drawing or writing new stories and helps her overcome her blocks. It’s definitely a nice change from the blaring TV shows that are sometimes over-prevalent in our home.

For me, I typically have trouble shutting my mind off when I am amidst a task list that is pages long. The overwhelm can feel… well, overwhelming! The film brings me back into the now and offers a reprieve from my mental gymnastics.

I highly recommend Calmer By Nature for all ages, whether you’re dealing with Autism in your family or just want some stress relief. You won’t be disappointed.

I can’t wait to see the other projects Barry has in the works, including two more films, an Audio CD version, and an iPhone application."

“I like that it follows a journey - this makes it safe and predictable for my clients....their diagnosis (autism) means that this DVD is calming and soothing - the quiet regular sounds of nature can be used to provide a safe space, the animals provide (for) non-threatening watching material that really does help get his (client’s) attention, even when he is really on the way to being out of control with challenging behaviours - it avoided staff needing to ‘hold’ him.”

“I like the birds and other animals...badgers are so funny, just like people...really a bit silly with each other, but you can almost guess what they are thinking’. This started a conversation about how hard it is getting on with others who don't know you, and what they might think about you, and how body language is even more important than what we say in words”.